The E-Sylum: Volume 10, Number 27, July 8, 2007, Article 17
POPULAR SCIENCE MAGAZINE: HOW TO EXPLODE A LINCOLN CENT
Dick Johnson writes: "There is a photograph in the July 2007 Popular
Science magazine that is worth the cost of the entire magazine. It
shows a 1999 Lincoln cent. What's so special about that? Let me tell you!
"It is an 'exploded' view of the thin copper shells -- obverse and
reverse -- that covers the zinc core of the struck cent. I have never
seen the zinc core of a Lincoln cent before, nor the shells separated
from a cent.
"There is a simple technology for doing this columnist Theodore Gray
explains in his column, 'Gray Matter,' this month. 'Turn your cheapest
coins inside out,' he states, 'using some hardware store chemistry.'
"The copper shells are formed by dissolving away the zinc core. This
is done by carefully grinding away the smallest amount from the edge
until the zinc is exposed. Then place this cent in hydrochloric acid
-- that's muriatic acid you can get in the hardware store (for cleaning
concrete).
"After the zinc is completely dissolved the shells remain but will be
extremely thin -- like foil -- but if done properly will exhibit the
intact surface of the cent.
"To get the zinc core you have to dissolve the copper away with cyanide
and Gray does not recommend anyone do this because cyanide is so poisonous.
[See the link below for previous E-Sylum discussion about the numismatic
uses (and misuses) of cyanide. -Editor]
"Popular Science hired a professional chemist to do this. Likewise we
don't recommend any collector try this as well.
"Take a peak at this web site, view the photo and the YouTube video and
see if you don't agree with me. Amazing!"
[It's a wonderful photo that ought to find its way into future numismatic
books on the cent. It would be interesting to see if a similar process
can be applied to split the layers of higher denomination clad coinage
such as the U.S. dimes and quarters. On the downside, the existence of
this recipe for the manipulation of coins will undoubtedly lead to the
marketing of coin components in the guise of mint errors. Be aware!
Here are a couple excerpts from the article. -Editor]
"Looking for something more interesting to do with that jar of pennies
than just cash it in? One word: acid.
"In most years before 1982, American pennies were 95 percent copper.
Then the price of copper went up until you could get $100 worth of
pennies at the bank, melt them down, and sell the metal for more than
$100. So the government started using a core of cheap zinc with only
a thin plating of copper.
"The fact that pennies are made of two different metals opens up the
interesting possibility of separating them.
"... these two methods let me prepare this real-life exploded
view—proving that what the U.S. Mint has joined together, an Icelandic
chemist and an American teenager may put asunder."
To read the complete article, see: Full Story
QUIZ ANSWER: NUMISMATIC USES OF CYANIDE
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